At a meeting held here to discuss Nagpal's suspension, members of the PCS (Executive Branch) said she had "exhibited extraordinary courage in taking on the sand mafia" in her district in UP.

Nagpal was suspended on July 27 ostensibly for having cleared the demolition of an illegally constructed wall at a mosque in Gautam Budh Nagar district.

Nagpal had completed her field training in Punjab where she served as Assistant Commissioner (Under Training) in SAS Nagar. She was appreciated for her work by colleagues and senior officers during her stint in Punjab, PCS members said.

The PCS officers' association said it expressed solidarity with the officer and appealed to other state civil service bodies to stand by her, according to a release here.